Scouting Ireland funding is restored for six months

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone has twice suspended Scouting Ireland’s €900,000 worth of State grants this year. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

The Government has restored funding for Scouting Ireland for six months, but only on condition that the organisation fully reforms its child protection rules.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone has twice suspended the youth organisation’s €900,000 worth of State grants this year, which makes up a third of the organisation’s income.

The withdrawal of State grants for several months pushed the organisation to the brink of financial collapse, with the association facing the likelihood of dissolving if funding was not restored.

In January, a confidential report by child safeguarding expert Ian Elliott found Scouting Ireland’s handling of an allegation in 2016 from a woman who claimed she was raped on a 2009 camping trip when she was 18 was “deeply flawed”. The report also highlighted shortcomings with child protection standards in the organisation. The organisation’s grant was suspended in April on foot of disclosures about the controversy.

However, in June, Ms Zappone released €220,000 after she received commitments that changes would be made. However, funding was suspended again this autumn, after the organisation’s board voted for chief scout Christy McCann to chair an extraordinary general meeting (egm) on governance reform.

Stood down

Mr McCann was one of four senior volunteers who temporarily stood down in April amid controversy, following criticism in Mr Elliott’s report.